Lib Dems fight to keep costs down for tenants

12.00.00am GMT Mon 2nd Feb 2009

Councillor Chris Naylor believes this is the wrong time for rent hikes

Liberal Democrats on Camden Council have pledged to keep costs down for tenants, at a time when the Labour Government is set to hike Council rents by over 6%.

Lib Dem Councillor Chris Naylor asked the Executive to agree that service charges for caretaking, grounds maintenance, CCTV, mobile security, and concierge will be frozen for the coming year. Meanwhile, the Government are set to enforce inflation busting 6.5% average rise, which will hit local residents from April - one of the highest rent charges imposed across London.

The Government will press ahead with their rent increases despite new figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats showing that nearly 40% of London's Council tenants are now living in rent arrears.

Labour's rent increases will particularly hit those Council tenants who are in work and therefore not eligible for Housing Benefit, which is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for deep cuts to income tax for Camden's poorest residents.

Local Liberal Democrat Councillor for Camden Town Primrose Hill, and Executive Member for Homes and Housing Strategy, Chris Naylor, said:

"This is the worst possible time for the Government to be hiking rents for Council tenants, and shows breathtaking ignorance of the impact of the recession on local residents. At a time when local families are already struggling to make ends meet, Labour's rent hikes could be what finally pushes them under.

"The Liberal Democrats believe it is right to freeze service charges for local residents and are also campaigning for big cuts to income tax to put more money in the pockets of Camden's hard pressed families."

Revealing the new figures on rent arrears, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg said:

"The recession is hitting family finances hard, leading to more and more households falling behind on their rent. As the financial crisis worsens thousands of families could face homelessness as they struggle to pay the bills.

"The Government needs to take action now to help low paid working families by introducing big, permanent and fair tax cuts."